‘Power of Pink’ meet puts color into campus, city

There’s a reason for hue of lights around Tuscaloosa

A student walks past Denny Chimes on the University of Alabama campus on Wednesday. The landmark was among those lit up with pink for gymnastic team’s “Power of Pink” meet scheduled for Friday.

Staff photo | Dusty Compton

By Marc TorrenceSpecial to The Tuscaloosa News

Published: Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 11:24 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | Sarah Patterson was stopped at the grocery store one day by a woman who recognized her from somewhere.

It wasn’t because Patterson is a six-time national champion gymnastics coach or that she just won back-to-back titles.

“Aren’t you the pink lady?” the woman asked.

Patterson, the University of Alabama gymnastics coach now in her 35th year with the program, started her “Power of Pink” initiative eight years ago, and the movement that raises awareness for breast cancer has since moved across campus and into Tuscaloosa once a year.

Alabama gymnastics will host Kentucky on Friday night for its annual “Power of Pink” meet, and the town will be more pink than ever.

“I love it,” Patterson said. “There’s people working night and day to get this done. ... Everybody just keeps helping it grow.”

Like it has been since 2005, Coleman Coliseum will be washed in pink inside and out.

Last year, the pink expanded into other parts of campus and will continue for the 2013 meet. Denny Chimes will have pink floodlights set up outside, and the Ferguson Center plaza will be lit pink as well, with the fountain spouting pink water.

The dome of the University Recreation Center will glow pink, too.

“It’s bigger than us, it’s bigger than Alabama-Kentucky,” senior gymnast Ashley Sledge said. “It’s a movement. And it’s an honor to be a part of it.”

And there will be even more pink this year.

Some fraternity and sorority houses already have pink floodlights in their yards, and the Bama Theatre’s marquee will have pink bulbs for the weekend.

Duane Lamb, assistant vice president for facilities and grounds operations at UA, said in a phone interview that it’s a weeklong operation actually installing and setting up the “pink-out.” But the process begins long before the season rolls around.

Lamb and his team meet in the fall, when the pink meet, among other topics, is discussed. This year, the planning and collection of supplies had to begin a little earlier, since the meet is occurring in the third week of the season.

“(Patterson’s) very, very good at what she does,” Lamb said. “She gets everything done and is a pretty impressive lady.”

Lamb and the facilities department are also aided by art professors like Craig Wedderspoon, who oversee the creative side of things, such as how to light up the Recreation Center dome.

Wedderspoon said in an email he would be up at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday morning starting work on Coleman Coliseum.

For the fountain, a pink dye is applied by workers that gives the water its color. Lamb said the dye is environmentally safe and washes out after a few days.

<p>TUSCALOOSA | Sarah Patterson was stopped at the grocery store one day by a woman who recognized her from somewhere.</p><p>It wasn't because Patterson is a six-time national champion gymnastics coach or that she just won back-to-back titles.</p><p>“Aren't you the pink lady?” the woman asked.</p><p>Patterson, the University of Alabama gymnastics coach now in her 35th year with the program, started her “Power of Pink” initiative eight years ago, and the movement that raises awareness for breast cancer has since moved across campus and into Tuscaloosa once a year.</p><p>Alabama gymnastics will host Kentucky on Friday night for its annual “Power of Pink” meet, and the town will be more pink than ever.</p><p>“I love it,” Patterson said. “There's people working night and day to get this done. ... Everybody just keeps helping it grow.”</p><p>Like it has been since 2005, Coleman Coliseum will be washed in pink inside and out.</p><p>Last year, the pink expanded into other parts of campus and will continue for the 2013 meet. Denny Chimes will have pink floodlights set up outside, and the Ferguson Center plaza will be lit pink as well, with the fountain spouting pink water.</p><p>The dome of the University Recreation Center will glow pink, too.</p><p>“It's bigger than us, it's bigger than Alabama-Kentucky,” senior gymnast Ashley Sledge said. “It's a movement. And it's an honor to be a part of it.”</p><p>And there will be even more pink this year.</p><p>Some fraternity and sorority houses already have pink floodlights in their yards, and the Bama Theatre's marquee will have pink bulbs for the weekend.</p><p>Duane Lamb, assistant vice president for facilities and grounds operations at UA, said in a phone interview that it's a weeklong operation actually installing and setting up the “pink-out.” But the process begins long before the season rolls around.</p><p>Lamb and his team meet in the fall, when the pink meet, among other topics, is discussed. This year, the planning and collection of supplies had to begin a little earlier, since the meet is occurring in the third week of the season.</p><p>“(Patterson's) very, very good at what she does,” Lamb said. “She gets everything done and is a pretty impressive lady.”</p><p>Lamb and the facilities department are also aided by art professors like Craig Wedderspoon, who oversee the creative side of things, such as how to light up the Recreation Center dome.</p><p>Wedderspoon said in an email he would be up at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday morning starting work on Coleman Coliseum.</p><p>For the fountain, a pink dye is applied by workers that gives the water its color. Lamb said the dye is environmentally safe and washes out after a few days.</p>